2003
Ethics and Coexistence
Student Fellowships
The International Center
for Ethics, Justice and Public Life
Brandeis University
Waltham
Massachusetts
1
2
About the Ethics and Coexistence Student Fellowships
he International Center for Ethics,
Justice and Public Life sponsors
Brandeis undergraduate students
to do integrated course work and field work
related to coexistence and issues of ethics
and social justice in a global context. Six
Brandeis undergraduates participated in the
program in 2003.
T
This booklet presents the work done
by the students during their
internships. They currently are working
on completing written projects that
document their work in greater detail.
About the International Center for
Ethics, Justice and Public Life
The International Center for Ethics, Justice, and
Public Life at Brandeis University exists to
illuminate the ethical dilemmas and
obligations inherent in global and professional
leadership, with particular focus on the
challenges of racial, ethnic, and religious
pluralism. Examining responses to past
conflicts, acts of intervention, and failures to
intervene, the Center seeks to enable just and
appropriate responses in the future. Engaging
leaders and future leaders of government,
business, and civil society, the Center crosses
boundaries of geography and discipline to link
scholarship and practice through publications,
programs, and projects.
understand, to promote, and to enact respectful
personal and communal relationships across
differences such as those of religion, ethnicity,
race, class, and political conflict. The program has
been made possible by a generous grant from the
Alan B. Slifka Foundation.
2003 Ethics and Coexistence
Student Fellows
Paul Adler ’04
Fundación Turcios Lima, Guatemala
Ayham Bahnassi ’05
Parents’ Circle—The Israeli-Palestinean Bereaved
Parents’ Forum, Massachusetts, USA
Xiomara Gonzalez ’05
Fundación Turcios Lima, Guatemala
Matthew Harris ’04
University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
Deirdre Mooney ’05
Ikamva Labantu, Cape Town, South Africa
Marina Pevzner ’04
AHIMSA, Colombo, Sri Lanka
The Slifka Program in Intercommunal
Coexistence, a program of the Center, is designed to
engage the university’s students, faculty, and
staff in an exploration of the dilemmas and
possibilities that emerge when we seek to
3
Guatemala
4
Paul Adler ‘04
Home: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Major/Minor/Program: politics
Career Goals: Work in the non-profit
sector with a focus on social justice and
sustainable development
Internship: La Fundación Turcios Lima,
Mazatenango, Guatemala
Xiomara Gonzalez ’05
Home: The Bronx, New York
Major/Minor/Program: economics
Internship: La Fundación Turcios Lima,
Mazatenango, Guatemala
Paul Adler
Caminando con el Commandante: Experiencing
Development and “la m
istica” in Guatemala
mistica”
La Fundación Turcios Lima is a non-governmental organization that does integrated development
work with communities affected by the 36-year civil war that ended in 1996. It works on various
agricultural projects, as well as community building. My role within the organization was working
to educate members of La Fundación about Fair Trade coffee as well as develop connections between
La Fundación and various international development organizations.
Project Goals
Key Dilemmas
• Educate members of La Fundación about the
details of assisting coffee farms in entering the
Fair Trade market, which guarantees farmers
decent prices for their coffee
• Use my connections with Oxfam America to
help set up a meeting between Cesar Montes
(the president of La Fundación) and the director
of Oxfam’s Central America regional office, in
order to help La Fundación become a partner
organization of Oxfam
• How to adapt to a new culture, with all the
many aspects and quirks that entails
• Being respectful of the culture while still being
critical of aspects (for example, the social position
of women) that bothered me
• How to work with people even when I disagree
with or find them difficult to work with
• Taking extra precautions to ensure my safety as
the country’s political situation deteriorated
Important Learnings
Personal Goals
• Improve my Spanish skills by immersing
myself in the language
• Become acquainted, first-hand, with the
realities of community development in a Global
South nation
• Serve as a positive ambassador for the United
States in a nation that has been deeply harmed
by U.S. foreign policy in the past
Activities
• For the main part of the two-month internship
I traveled with Juan Carlos and Pavel,
agricultural engineers working for La Fundación
in two communities of returned refugees. While
there was little formal work to do, I provided an
additional perspective on various community
dynamics that affected their work.
• Combining Internet research with an actual
trip to a Fair Trade coffee farm, I was able to give
instructions to various members of La Fundación
on the dynamics of organizing a Fair Trade farm.
• Initiated and organized a meeting between the
president of La Fundación, Cesar Montes, and
the director of Oxfam America’s regional office
• Development and globalization issues are
amazingly complex issues that cannot be
narrowed to simple formulas.
• A philosophy of arrogance among those working
to improve the situation of the poor will lead to
disaster. The key is to work with the people, not for
them. One must be highly
respectful and adaptable to
differing situations. At the
same time, to romanticize
“the people” is a mistake,
as they are people, for
better and for worse.
• Networking, as “dirty”
as it may seem sometimes,
is crucial to success in social
justice work. Knowing the
I had the good fortune of visiting
right people can open big
Santa Anita, a coffee community
doors.
made up of ex-guerillas that had
recently entered the Fair Trade
market. I am standing with Lazaro,
the head of commercialization for
Santa Anita, with whom I had a long
conversation about the details of
Fair Trade to impart that knowledge
to members of La Fundación.
5
Paul Adler
At left is a classic view in
Antigua, Guatemala, the
old colonial capital where
Xiomara and I stayed our
first month in Guatemala.
In the background is
El Volcan de Agua.
(Above) One of the first steps the agricultural engineers took in the
communities was to run “agricultural diagnostics,” community meetings
to determine the economic condition of the farm. Here is Pavel
conducting one in Nuevo Mexico.
(Center left) Nuevo Mexico, one of two communities of returned
refugees which I visited once a week for two months with a team from La
Fundación. On the far left is Pavel, an agricultural engineer who
specializes in commercialization and who I spent a great deal of time
with. To his right is Juan Carlos, whose family I lived with for two
months and is also an agricultural engineer. On the far right is
Guillermo, the community organizer for La Fundación.
(Lower left) A protest in Mazatengano (my host city for the majority
of my time). The government is currently trying to privatize all health
services in the country and this was a demonstration by a coalition of
union members and indigenous people against privatization.
6
Studying a
t El Centro
Linguistico
my Spanis
Maya conti
h is improv
n
ing. So mu
is bubbling
ch knowled ues to go quite well a
to the surfa
nd
ge, after ye
ce
is a riot, fu
ars of stud
ll of jokes a . I can even use pron
y
ing,
ouns now!
s well as k
Guatemala
nowledge a
My profess
n culture,
or
b
h
o
is
u
t all aspec
tory, and p
to fall in lo
ts of
ve with An
olitics. Ine
vitably, I’v
tigua and
expatriate
highly reco
e started
thing down
mmend som
here at som
e of us do th
e point, as
e
it’s perfect.
Last Thursd
ay, Xiomar
a
,
Fundacion
Turcios Lim Cesar Montes, two oth
a, and myse
er officials
hours to th
from La
e southwest
lf went to a
. We went
fa
almost killi
rm, a drive
over some
ng about e
several
really back
ight dogs a
regard to d
country ro
nd a camp
riving, Gua
ads,
esino head
temalan’s
good offen
ing to wor
heartily be
se.” The po
k
.
With
li
e
v
v
e
e “the best
rty here is
impact is o
defense is
heartbreak
nly lessene
a
in
d because
g and the e
what I exp
it does not
motional
ected. The
se
em much d
country is
farming ar
gorgeous a
ifferent fro
eas.
nd I’ve see
m
n a lot of th
e
At one poin
tC
where his w esar calmly noted th
at we would
ife was kille
be driving
d while fig
how all of
by the spot
h
his brother
ting the ar
s were mur
m
y
took us on
.
H
e
a
ls
d
o
ered durin
described
dirt roads,
g the confl
through a
appeared to
ict. Our dr
huge farm,
be part of
ive
and to a gr
a giant fie
a farm tha
oup of tents
sta. We tho
t works wit
that
ught we we
h La Funda
more. Gua
re only vis
ción, but it
temala’s p
it
ing
turned out
eace accor
in concept.
to be much
ds are abo
As part of
ut the most
the accord
governmen
radical the
s, a
t agency ca
re are
lled El Fon
Tierras is r
do de las
edistributi
ng land to
peasant fa
lan
milies. We
had come to dless
ceremony m
a
arking the
handing ov
to 358 pea
er of land
sant familie
s who in th
their famil
eh
ies had nev
er owned th istory of
land. We sa
eir own
t under a g
iant red te
group of civ
n
ta
il society le
aders (unio s a
etc.) made
n
fiery speec
hes about th s, NGOs,
land and c
eir right to
alled for g
reater socia
The look on
l justice.
Pictured abov
the faces o
e is President
f the farme
received th
of La
Fundación Tu
rs as they
e certificate
rc
ios Lima, Ces
s to their la
incredible.
ar Montes,
with one of th
nd
I’d never se
e campesinos
en justice in was
of
so clearly u
Finca
M
on
te
cristo who ha
ntil today.
action
d just received
own land
their
Guatemala
From Paul’s Journal
, as part of th
e redistributio
process being
n
implemented
on account
of the peace ac
cords.
7
Xiomara Gonzalez
Learning on La Finca:
Community Development from the Bottom Up
La Fundación Turcios Lima provides technical support to poor rural farm communities where most
families are returnees from exile. It hires social workers and agricultural engineers and assigns them to
work in specified communities. Participating farm communities have heard about the foundation and
solicited its services. I worked under the guidance of Cesar Montes, ex-Guerilla commander of FAR
(Fuerzas Armadas Rebeldes or Rebel Armed Forces.)
Project Goals
Key Dilemmas
• Learn and understand the history of the 36–
year civil war and how it affected and
continues to challenge the lives of the
Guatemalan people
• Assist in the promotion of reconciliation
efforts for campesinos in two rural farm
communities
• Local, national, and foreign political
corruption—especially during an election
year—partnered with false promises and an
outright disrespect for the 1996 peace accords
undermine development efforts and makes it
difficult for families to maintain hope for a
more prosperous tomorrow.
• It is an ongoing struggle for nongovernmental organizations to remain active,
positive, and effective when their human
and capital resources are lacking.
Personal Goals
• Understand the hard work involved in
grassroots community organizing and how to
do it in a way that responds to the specific
needs of La Lupita and Montecristo
• Employ and enhance my Spanish speaking
abilities in addition to learning some Mam
and Quiche (Mayan languages)
• Create personal relationships based on trust,
listening, and interdependence
Activities
• Gathered census data: name, age, weight,
height, level of education, ability to read,
indigenous background, and occupation
• Co-facilitated group diagnostics–local
workshops that provide a space for families to
evaluate community progress, discuss both
short and long run needs, project ideas, and
financing plans–at both Lupita and
Montecristo
• Solicited aid and donations from local firms
and businesses
• Contributed to the development and creation
of a youth project that focused on self-esteem
and collective history. This program
encouraged the organization of a strengthened
youth and an appreciation for their farm
community.
8
Important Learnings
• Reading about suffering and fear can never
truly prepare an individual to receive oral
history. Meeting victims face to face and
listening to their stories of murder, rape,
torture, loss, and escape is very real and
terrifying.
• A community’s future sustainability depends
on the work and presence of a strengthened,
informed, and literate youth.
• A collective with minimal resources still has
the ability to create an egalitarian structure.
The key elements include a common
philosophy, non-opportunist technical support,
and a high level of organization from the
bottom up.
A young campesino
poses for a portrait
at the Montecristo
Maricela farm
community that I
visited.
At community meetings, attendance was
taken. Since many campesinos in
rural areas cannot read or write their own
names, they sign with their thumb prints.
(Above) A few men from Montecristo
show their appreciation for their fellow
neighbors by giving each other back rubs
during a group workshop.
La Milpa: Corn is the most widely
cultivated crop in Guatemala. The everso-essential tortilla is made from this
staple produce. Expansive fields of tall
and beautiful stalks can be encountered
at any given moment in this green
country.
Guatemala
Xiomara Gonzalez
(Above) I found politcal propaganda all over
the country—on trees, rocks, and walls—
during this controversial election year.
(Center) Colorfully painted school buses
serve as Guatemalan public transportation.
(Lower Right) Senora Dominga does the
daily laundry at Finca La Lupita.
9
From Xiomara’s Journal
own
uses travel d
b
l
o
o
h
sc
ed
demn
ut of pueblos
ecorated, con
y into cities o
tr
n
u
Elaborately d
co
e
th
-toothed
ays across
outs the gold
sh
!”
te
a
is
broken highw
ik
T
e moving
in. º”Tikisate!
de door of th
si
en
p
o
e
th
and back aga
om
ts with ºhard
ened arms fr
ale!” he shou
d
,
le
man with wid
a
“D
.
et
ead are
the mark
otsteps overh
fo
y
v
ea
camioneta in
H
º
s.
u
squeezed
side of the b
, caught, and
ed
ss
to
re
slaps on the
a
es
on and
s and packag
eta continues
n
io
m
ca
e
h
heard as bag
T
º
f.
ed in
the bus’s roo
odies wrapp
b
n
o
g
in
ce
rn
la
o
p
m
to
in
sweaty
together in
s in. ºInside,
press tightly
s
n
er
tt
the man hop
a
p
l
a
es in
en tradition
uman collag
h
l
u
rf
lo
brightly wov
co
all
g
sitions formin gling to breath through sm way
contorted po
g
ru
ile making
seats while st
quetzales, wh
en
their
seatbelt-less
ld
o
g
ss
a
p
They
aisle and sell
s.
ed
ck
d
a
w
o
cr
cr
w
e
o
d
th
win
wl in
pulls the
endors to cra
to. ºThe driver
n
ie
im
for migrant v
p
e
il
d heavy
njas con ch
sts. Rocks an
la
b
rn
o
h
e
aguas or nara
th
s sharp
d
es and make
y his side an
b
rv
g
cu
n
ri
le
st
ic
se
eh
o
v
lo
ºThe
exhaustion
trail the bus.
oles. A sudden
th
o
diesel smoke
p
p
ee
d
ita. º
to avoid
ute to La Lup
m
m
co
turns in order
y
a
d
n
e on the Mo
comes over m
the day.
rehearsal of
t
rs
fi
r
ei
th
s
hold
e dogs
vestock choir
ed solo and th
ch
it
-p
The Lupita li
h
ig
h
a
. ºMosquitoes
egins with
onious howls
rm
a
h
ºThe rooster b
n
a
th
und. The
up with less
g surround so
in
zz
u
b
provide back
ic
d
ldom, but
with a spora
ndom, not se
ra
later chime in
e
b
l
il
w
n
, union, or
ercussio
ating a birth
ic
d
firecracker p
in
c
ti
a
m
ck partnered
and dra
ral alarm clo
tu
a
n
e
unpredictable
tl
b
u
-s
ng sun
. ºMy not-so
at by the risi
eg
b
t
ea
h
g
perhaps loss
in
arise. º
al of the morn
possibility. ºI
with the arriv
im
n
a
p
ee
sl
ing to
makes return
er the
ss my legs ov
to
,
ck
a
b
g
n
reach the
squito netti
own until they
d
es
to
y
I pull my mo
m
d
stand. ºI
de and exten
body up and
y
m
f
o
er
d
hammock’s si
in
opening
ma
ºI hoist the re
e hut’s small
.
th
h
rt
to
y
ea
a
p
w
m
y
a
d
ke m
,I
steps and ma
ºUpon exiting
.
y
a
d
take my first
ew
n
e
ud provided
confront th
ol morning m
co
e
th
so that I can
to
in
ht. ºVery
plop my feet
ghout the nig
u
ro
th
ce
la
unexpectedly
p
k
it passes
rains that too
into town as
y
s
v
u
b
ea
h
ly
e
n
o
th
e
y
b
of th
ds into
rieking horn
nity and hea
u
m
faint is the sh
m
co
ile, and
rm
Gloria fa
soiled feet, sm
ly
h
es
fr
by the Monte
y
m
t
er into the
look down a
my feet deep
b
ru
I
º
.
lf
Willywood. ºI
se
y
happier.
os dias” to m
ve never been
a
h
whisper “buen
I
t
a
th
e
nd decid
wet ground a
10
Hometown: Worcester County, Massachusetts
Major/Minor/Program: politics and Near Eastern
Judaic Studies
Internship: Parents’Circle—the Israeli-Palestinian
Bereaved Parents’ Forum, New England (based in Israel)
Boston
Worcester
United States
Ayham Bahnassi ’05
11
Ayham Bahnassi
Fear of Getting Involved in Coexistence Groups
An Israeli businessman founded Parents’ Circle (PC) after the murder of his son at the hands of Hamas
in 1994. He hoped that this organization would serve as a support group for all the parents that lost
beloved family members due to the conflict. He also wanted PC to function as a voice of hope, proving
that the cycle of hate and revenge can be ended and that peace is possible. Today, Parents’ Circle is a
large Arab-Jewish peace activist organization that consists of Israeli and Palestinian parents that have
lost family members as a result of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The message of these bereaved
parents is to seek reconciliation, not revenge.
Project goals:
• Parents’ Circle receives support from many
American synagogues and liberal Protestant
churches. However, before my internship, it
had little contact with the Arab-American
communities. My job was to identify
sympathetic Arab-American communities and
garner their support.
• Visit Arab-American institutions such as
churches, mosques, organizations, and
activist groups in order to raise awareness
about PC
• Build support for PC from the ArabAmerican communities
• Begin to develop a relationship between
Arab-American community leaders and PC
• Bring Yitzhack Frankenthal, PC founder,
and a Palestinian parent from PC to speak to
Arab-American audience for the first time
• Encourage partnership and future
collaborative work between PC and
Arab-American communities
Personal Goals:
• Encourage Arab-American communities to
play an active and influential role in peace
activist groups such as PC. I, as an ArabAmerican, fear that lack of action could prove
to be very costly for Arabs, as they might get
completely left behind during the peace
process if inactivity and indifference persist.
• Understand the fears, concerns, and other
reasons for an Arab-American community’s
hesitation to work with PC
• Help PC to become more appealing to an
Arab audience
12
Activities:
• Prepared an extensive and elaborate
presentation about PC
• Contacted and visited many Arab-American
communities and organizations in New
England, in order to give my presentation
about PC
• Organized PC’s and Frankenthal’s first visit
to a mosque in the USA
Key Dilemmas:
• What reactions will I, an Arab-American,
receive from other Arabs for volunteering for an
Israeli organization?
• How can I get Arab-American community
leaders to trust the intentions of Frankenthal, an
Israeli, and founder of PC?
• Are the principle and message of PC
well conveyed to an Arab audience?
Are the brochures, website, and videos of PC
appropriately suited for an Arab-American
audience?
Important Learnings
• It is crucial for an Arab-Jewish peace
organization to reflect equality in the power
structure of the organization. Arab and Jewish
members need to divide the responsibilities and
the authority equally in order for the peace
organization to thrive and to have the ability to
gain support from both communities.
• Immense courage is required for both Arab
and Jewish members to volunteer for this
organization. Many members hesitate to tell
friends and families that they work for PC.
United States
Ayham Bahnassi
(Below) A banner outside
of the ISB Mosque
Here is one of the communities I
visited to raise awareness about
Parents’ Circle—The Islamic
Society of Boston (ISB).
Yitzhack Frankenthal describes the
mission and activities of Parents’
Circle to Dr. Krayyem, a leader in
Worcester’s Muslim community.
Above is the logo for the Parents’
Circle—the Israeli-Palestinean
Bereaved Parents’ Forum, the
organization where I worked.
13
From Ayham’s Journal
ainly of
d consisted m
ow
cr
e
h
T
.
ed
ington. I
pack
in Great Barr
nagogue was
y
it
sy
n
e
u
th
m
d
m
n
all
a
co
ish
It was 7:30
witnessed a sm
ers of the Jew
en
b
ev
em
I
m
k.
d
a
n
a
zh
s
it
Y
ats. All
senior citizen
ess to hear from for the limited front row se
n
er
g
ea
’s
d
ure. I was
sensed the crow o parties of senior citizens
uring the lect
d
d
n
tw
a
n
st
ee
to
w
d
et
a
ea
brawl b
filled. Many h
that I could se
y
so
ll
a
rs
tu
ou
en
h
ev
o
e
tw
how
chairs wer
ted to observe
egin and drove
n
b
a
to
w
t
I
.
en
m
ev
ru
e
inian
Fo
excited for th
ved Parents’
rve as a Palest
ea
se
er
to
B
e
of
er
er
th
b
st
em
eaker as
Is Ghazi ju
Palestinian m
with Yitzhak.
oquent of a sp
el
ct
s
ra
a
te
d
n
in
a
,
ld
ed
ou
Ghazi w
igent, devot
e just as intell
token? Or is h
led the
Yitzhak?
and she revea
sy
et
B
d
ce
u
was
trod
t. Their flight
ngregation in
or
co
p
e
ir
th
a
of
lo
a
d
ff
u
ea
ted
B
eh
not disappoin
ere stuck in a
Eventually th
w
ly
zi
in
a
a
h
rt
G
ce
d
t
n
a
ye
zhak
seats and
d was sad,
bad news. Yit
ms. The crow
ained in their
m
or
st
re
of
le
p
se
eo
u
a
P
ec
e.
as awesom
oise, was
cancelled b
resentation w
She showed p
.
p
’s
on
ti
sy
ta
et
n
B
se
se
re
u
beca
oving p
tively to her m
listened atten
late.
nd very articu
one is
informative, a
conflict. Every
is
th
to
ed
ch
tta
e political
e stands on th
nd emotions a
u
on
fo
e
ro
er
p
h
e
w
th
ss
le
zhak
She discussed
views. Regard
that when Yit
d
er
h
le
a
or
ve
is
re
h
e
t
ou
r views. Sh
w at the
passionate ab
to modify thei
as the one I sa
se
e
fu
rg
re
la
t
s
a
os
d
m
some
,
a crow
spectrum
his security. In
ed
erspective to
iz
p
rd
g
a
in
op
os
je
p
y
op
use the
raised an
it significantl
yguards beca
t Barrington,
od
b
a
s
re
d
G
ee
in
n
k
le
a
p
tem
, Yitzh
nities in Israel
c.
Jewish commu
ta
e an gonisti
om
ec
b
n
ca
e
er
tles my
atmosph
ks almost belit
ea
sp
e
h
en
h
w
s
es to
ds bodyguard
My insecuriti
.
ee
n
ce
n
k
a
ie
d
zh
u
it
a
Y
b
t
ces. He
Ara
Learning tha
gers that he fa
’ Circle to an
n
ts
a
n
d
re
l
a
a
P
re
g
e
in
th
g his
ib
to
fears of descr
from spreadin
ty compared
et
im
p
h
re
e
a
g
ra
on
u
ti
co
nta
owd to dis
tion. Not
deliver a prese
cial denuncia
ow a hostile cr
ll
so
a
is
ot
r
n
a
s
fe
oe
st
d
ve
ra
also has to
admirably
istence. My g
eople, but he
ex
p
n
co
d
ow
n
a
is
h
ce
jection from
rdless of how
views on pea
unter social re
America, rega
co
as a
in
en
t
e
a
h
th
s
oe
ow
d
only
may be labeled
I
fety. I kn
.
sa
it
l
r
a
fo
ic
y
ys
ll
h
a
p
is
eing
suffer physic
worry about h
y be, I won’t
curity of not b
a
se
m
e
s
th
ew
ve
vi
a
h
y
I
m
different
but at least
be welcomed,
ot
n
or
,
or
it
a
tr
rmed.
unately, the
physically ha
e temple. Fort
th
t
it
a
sh
la
ck
a
pared to hear
dure b
re
p
en
s
a
to
w
d
e
re
a
sh
p
t
a
as pre
tered hostile
sy told me th
Even Betsy w
ively, but Bet
k have encoun
it
a
os
zh
p
it
Y
ed
d
d
n
a
on
s do not
sy
crowd resp
able audience
d scolding. Bet
it
n
p
a
os
h
ts
in
en
,
m
er
li
p
nce. He
owev
all, both com
pathetic audie
their views. H
m
g
sy
in
n
u
ss
n
re
a
p
ex
their
uraged from
audience after
me. I admire
ak isn’t disco
to
zh
it
Y
on
.
ti
a
em
ir
th
sp
te
in
the crowd
an
intimida
o matter how
ord, which is
n
w
y,
is
sl
h
u
g
eo
in
g
d
a
ra
keeps spre
to speak cou
courages me
en
It
.
cy
en
li
resi
might react.
14
Home: New City, New York
Major/Minor/Program: economics, International
Business and Peace and Conflict Studies Program.
Tentative Career Goals: Work in health care policy in
both the United States and abroad, and pursue graduate
studies in medicine and public health.
Internship: University of Cape Town, South Africa
Deirdre Mooney ‘05
Home: East Northport, New York
Major/Minor/Program:
political science and International
and Global Studies
Tentative Career Goals: Spend
time in Latin America working with
basic medical skills before attending Mount Sinai School of
Medicine, NY. My long-term goal is to practice emergency
medical care in Latin America, or work with an international
organization such as Doctors Without Borders
South Africa
Matthew Harris ‘04
Internship: Ikamva Labantu, Cape Town, South Africa
SOUTH A FRICA
Cape Town
15
Matthew Harris
Issues of Fear and Identity
in Engaging with Your Community
Worked with Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, clinical psychologist and former member of the Truth and
Reconciliation Commission (TRC), on two studies. The first explored Apartheid Era conscientious
objectors from the South African Defense Force, and the second was a psychology study stemming from
her work in trauma.
Project Goals
Key Dilemma
• Determine a cognitive model regarding the
decision to conscientiously object
• Assess current and past material relevant to
trauma and recovery, and connect this
research with our study
• How can I, as a foreign, transient observer,
begin to understand my role in a country
with such deeply intrinsic problems?
Personal Goals
• Gain a better understanding of the
psychology of recovery
• Learn about the social, economic, and
political disparities that continue in South
Africa even a decade after the official end of
apartheid
Activities
• Researched cognitive modeling with
respect to conscientious objection
• Interviewed several conscientious objectors
• Collaborated with Gobodo-Madikizela on
an article summarizing our findings, to be
published in a journal of psychology in
South Africa
16
Important Learning
• We connected our conscientious objection
study to the notion of cognitive dissonance,
postulating the idea that people generally
have a set of ethics or morals, which may be
in contradiction with the ethical code of the
military state. Those who cannot reconcile
the two codes find themselves experiencing
this cognitive dilemma, and will often engage
in conscientious objection.
Matthew Harris
Children play in the park,
Grahamstown, SA.
I joined the crowds
exploring the
Grahamstown Arts
Festival in
Grahamstown, SA.
Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela (above)
is a former member of South
Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation
Commission, center affiliate, and
my boss.
A view of Cape Town
from Robben Island
17
From Matthew’s Journal
M assacre,
on the Soweto
en
tt
ri
w
er
tt
le
An imaginary ational Youth Day
N
s
a
n
now know
even years
y, but twenty-s t from
a
d
to
y
r;
ll
Si
a
r
u
ct
ea
D
ot a
ren
is morning, n
nship no diffe
I stood here th e ground of Soweto, a tow
y peers, and
m
s,
d
y frien
th
m
h
on
it
d
w
oo
e
st
er
I
h
of us.
ood
ago.
ere, 170,000
th Africa. I st
h
u
d
So
oo
in
st
e
er
h
W
.
ot
any
lly like
o I didn’t rea
even those wh
aans, a
learn in Afrik etuate the
to
ed
rc
fo
re
a
because we
s only to perp
We
We stood here not know. It is forced on u
communities.
d
re
lo
o
co
d
e
d
n
w
a
language
the black
stood.
oppression on lish, a language we under
e
it
h
w
of
e
cl
g
cy
n
be taught in E
just wanted to
and 20
the ages of 10
n
ee
w
et
b
s
d
ki
g our right
ning, 170,000
but demandin
or
y,
m
ll
r
fu
te
ce
in
ea
w
p
a
s
r hope
On
Soweto’s street
knives, only ou
h
g
or
u
s
n
ro
u
th
g
o
ed
n
h
rried
marc
English. We ca
to be taught in
listen.
dy and
that you will
ur batons rea
yo
h
it
w
o,
et
w
sight
grounds of So
ve been some
e
a
h
th
st
u
on
m
d
e
oo
w
st
,
There you
s of 15,000
inging and
hing in group roached us with batons sw
rc
a
e
M
s.
a
g
r
a
p
te
e scared but w
ou ap
Y
er
.
w
d
e
oo
W
st
.
n
u
re
yo
d
a trigger.
owd of chil
from where
swing, pulled ng and
ing into the cr
a
ch
n
ok
u
to
la
st
s
a
ju
g
u
r
tea
cryi
s, yo
didn’t warn u
Not as we laid ck with
a
didn’t go. You son, we still did not leave.
b
t
h
g
u
fo
rea
to stand. We
e
os
ch
e
Yet, for some
W
s.
n
s.
g
brutal bato
the beatin
hty arms and
bleeding from
ig
m
r
u
yo
st
in
aga
uld
small stones,
suppose you co
I
.
es
ey
r
ou
e the fear in
children. I
difficult to se
hurting young
e
gs
er
w
u
yo
I guess it was
h
lind to the thin
to whic
b
t
e
n
er
te
w
ex
u
e
yo
th
t
not fathom
u stood, tha
was poor.
from where yo ehind the gun, your vision
t
a
th
e,
in
g
a
b
im
g. I guess from
you were doin
e chosen
know if you’v
’t
on
d
I
s.
u
e,
y beside
u remember m
r homes neatl
yo
ou
if
,
d
n
ow
fi
kn
to
’t
may
rd
I don
sit. It’s not ha r symbols of our faiths. You
vi
e
m
co
t
u
B
.
our
not to
stones that bea rought to life the spirit of
th
ea
en
b
,
er
h
b
do
each ot
er us. But you
hope that you
th
I
ra
t.
a
or
re
e
g
m
s
a
ed
w
have kill
is revival
u and your
the costs of th
rget, while yo
fo
er
ieev
n
u
yo
cause, though
malls and mov
ope that
ih
in
I
m
e.
e
m
th
s,
in
u
remember
al holiday
ed by
rate this nation r townships were destroy
b
le
ce
n
re
d
il
ere,
ch
e built when ou that day, when you stood th
er
w
t
a
th
es
tr
thea
ember
hope you rem
bulldozers. I
me.
om
s. Across fr
across from u
Sincerely,
Faceless
18
Civil Society: The Only Comfortable Meeting Place
for the Multi-racial, Ethnic, and Socio-economic
Population of Cape Town?
Ikamva Labantu (“the future of our nation”) is a community-based organization that seeks to
redress the damages of Apartheid and supports democracy in South Africa by providing educational
and economic resources to community members and townships. I worked with the Health Sector to
develop a health wellness program and other projects. I also worked with the Youth Sector on the
Annual Winter Programme that brings together teens in the community.
Project Goals
Activities
• Compile information on HIV/AIDS and TB in
South Africa
• Help establish a wellness program for Ikamva
Labantu’s office staff
• Co-coordinate the annual Winter Programme
for township teenagers
• Collaborate with the founder and director of
Ikamva Labantu to develop a program working
with boys and male role models in the townships
• Assist with general operations of the Youth
Sector and provide evaluations on the Sector’s
daily operations
• Researched, compiled, and presented
information on pertinent health issues and
established contacts within the community to
develop an internal wellness program
• Attended internal office meetings and civil
society discussions relevant to the Youth and
Health Sectors
• Organized activities for the Annual Winter
Programme focused on survival in the township.
• Worked on activities such as Hoops 4 Hope
tournaments, Youth Day celebrations, and
Marimba Band demonstrations
Personal Goals
Key Dilemmas
• Get some sort of grasp on the situation of
AIDS, HIV, and other communicable diseases in
terms of the educational awareness, general
opinion, the availability and use of presentation,
and the availability of treatment. In particular, I
wanted to understand how HIV/AIDS could
spread to the point that one out of three
educated college students are HIV+ and the rate
of teenage pregnancies is so elevated.
• Gain an understanding of life during and after
Apartheid and how it affected various parties and
individuals
• Providing an evaluation of my experience
working with one of the sector coordinators
called for a dileneation between our personal
and professional relationship
• Knowing when to accept that interactions were
limited by time and the availability of safe
transportation to the townships
• Choosing how to spend work and free time—
each sector offered interesting opportunities. It
was difficult to focus on two different projects
without getting drawn into helping others. “Free
time” provided many opportunities: traveling to
townships, exploring Cape Town, going to the
bird rehabilitation center I volunteered at, or
South Africa
Deirdre Mooney
Here is the Nyanga taxi
terminus. I took taxis
to and from the Winter
Programme, the only mode
of transporation for those
living in the townships.
19
Deirdre Mooney
spending time with friends. Since township life
was very different from the life that my nonwork friends led, it was seldom possible to blend
work and non-work friends.
Important Learnings
• Location can be everything. Relationships
are forged through Ikamva Labantu that
might never be forged otherwise because it is
a meeting ground for people with the
common goal of improving the quality of life
in South Africa. Individuals put aside racial,
ethnic, and socio-economic differences to
collaborate. However, the geographic and
economic divide between communities
frequently prohibits them from being able to
socialize outside of work due to safety, cost,
and time.
• Although the legal foundation of
Apartheid was eliminated almost a decade
ago, it has left profound repercussions on
the structure of society evident in everyday
interations.
• Cultural generalizations are not unique to
any culture. People asked if I had thought
Africa would be a jungle rife with wild
animals, poking fun at the assumption that
most Americans are ignorant about the rest
of the world. However, many South Africans
assumed I supported Bush and his war,
among other generalizations.
(Above) One event at the
Grahamstown Arts Festival
featured Desmond Tutu and
other renowned speakers
involved with the Truth and
Reconciliaton Commission.
This was the beginning of a mini
peace march from Rhodes
University to the chapel in the
center of town.
During one of Ikamva Labantu’s
youth day projects, Marimba
dancers entertained the crowd at a
Youth Day celebration in Fishock.
Some students elected to
create a mural as their
final project for the Winter
Programme. On the last
day, we visited to take
pictures and hear how they
envistioned “survival”
and were depicting it
through art.
20
e was a
friend told m
a
t
a
h
w
o
d
ide the
g to
rday mornin
township outs
tu
ck
a
S
la
b
a
s
n
u
o
o
m
ke
fa
gang
I wo
yanga. An in
is known for
N
a
g
to
n
o
ya
g
N
—
,
ea
n
ird
ow
crazy id
ict of Cape T
was on my th
tr
ip
is
D
sh
n
s
w
es
n
to
si
e
u
Central B
rd about th
sed a fatal
e had witnes
first time I hea
h
e
id
h
T
sa
.
e
ce
u
n
g
le
ea
vio
coll
Town when a
night in Cape
e.
car
hijacking ther
e kids in the
th
f
o
e
n
o
en
in
h
e had arrived
ill spinning w
W
st
s
s.
a
ie
w
d
e
d
u
in
b
g
ging from
to greet his
The car’s en
foot boys, ran
out of the car
re
a
ed
b
p
p
w
o
p
sa
I
ly
.
er
ble
er in the
eag
ll to each oth
gy was palpa
a
er
b
e
en
th
e
h
g
T
in
.
a
ss
g
y, to
pa
Nyan
old, drilling
umped to pla
p
rs
e
a
er
ye
w
0
2
ey
h
to
T
ages six
e pumped!
hese kids wer
T
t
lo
g
in
rk
a
p
eat!
balcony
cheer, and to
mes from the
a
g
e
th
ed
h
.
tc
wa
t and oranges
ea
and coaches
n
sw
re
ke
d
li
il
d
ch
le
0
Over 10
rena smel
s of ten or
e court. The a
sold in pocket
th
g
re
n
a
,
ki
o
le
b
lo
a
er
il
v
a
o
v
at food
eapest fruit a
anticipated th
ch
s
e
er
th
th
,
o
;
es
g
et
n
ck
just one
Ora
po
that this was
ms brought a
ze
a
li
a
te
re
w
fe
to
g
A
.
more
refreshin
ng to get
vided. It was
visor, was tryi
er
p
su
y
m
,
would be pro
in
n, it was
ays that Mart
basketball fu
s
a
w
ly
n
o
t
o
of the many w
N
by players
commitment
off the streets.
a
s
d
ed
ki
ir
u
ip
q
sh
re
n
jerseys,
tow
ices
a coach and
. Daily pract
d
g
a
h
in
s
m
m
su
a
n
te
co
st
ake lifetimebe proud. Mo
g forced to m
ld
n
u
ei
b
co
e
ey
er
th
w
h
n
of whic
e. Childre
y they’d try
Hoops 4 Hop
today the da
s
a
W
s.
si
a
sponsored by
b
the
ns on a daily
gang? Life in
io
a
is
h
it
ec
d
w
t
g
u
in
o
g
er
limited—
alt
ngin
ies for fun are
itution, or ha
it
st
n
u
ro
rt
p
o
,
p
g
p
n
o
li
far
d
stea
laces are too
and structure
p
rd
er
a
h
th
O
is
s
c.
et
ip
townsh
rts fields,
e rooms, spo
no pools, gam
expensive.
l winning
away or too
ith one schoo
w
ed
d
u
cl
n
co
ner
t
, the term win
the tournamen
ly
te
y,
a
a
n
d
u
g
rt
n
fo
lo
n
this
a
.U
After
ers addressed
irls’ division
iz
g
n
d
a
n
rg
a
o
’
e
ys
o
th
b
f
eo
aking
both the
ut without sh
of a loser. On
o
ce
ed
n
lk
te
a
is
w
ex
m
e
implies th
” girls’ tea
ntations
of the “losing
trophy prese
e
lf
a
th
h
ed
en
d
h
ce
w
re
e
issu
m. He p
the other tea
ship. He
the hands of
on sportsman
n
io
ss
cu
is
d
hard to
with a
team worked
y
er
ev
t
a
th
explained
was an
ls and that it
a
n
fi
e
th
to
y team
get
of which ever
t
en
m
sh
li
p
m
ood
acco
u can’t be a g
o
“Y
.
d
u
ro
p
e
ser.”
could b
n be a good lo
ca
u
yo
ss
le
n
winner u
South Africa
From Deirdre’s Journal
pe
m the Hoops 4 Ho
e girls’ teams fro
th
of
e
do
on
to
is
ty
re
ni
Shown he
uth the opportu
gives township yo
program, which
weekends. These
r school and on
te
af
e
tiv
USA.
si
po
ng
somethi
Long Island, NY,
d by a school on
te
na
do
d
re
an
,
we
as
s
uniform
shoes, sports br
ve uniforms, but
Many players ha
supply.
are still in short
other equipment
21
Sri Lanka
Marina Pevzner ’04
Home: Rehovot, Israel
Major/Minor/Program: political science,
sociology, and Peace and Conflict Studies
Program
Tentative Career Goals: Combine conflict
resolution and transformation on international
level with local coexistence work
Internship: AHIMSA: Centre for Conflict Resolution and Peace,
Colombo, Sri-Lanka
INDIA
SRI
LANKA
22
Marina Pevzner
Ahimsa is dedicated to educating for peace and conflict resolution. The organization promotes coexistence
through raising awareness of non-violent values within Sri Lankan society, while strengthening groups and
individuals in their efforts to live by these values. Some of its activities include working with students in high
schools and incorporating peace education into school curriculum; working with shanty area’s children
through holistic education, carrying out conflict resolution programs across Sri Lanka, and incorporating
creative methods of bringing in communities to a coexistence process within their conflict resolution frame.
As part of this effort, Ahimsa has been integrating applied theater techniques into their programs which have
become a promising coexistence tool in bringing communities together to discuss
the conflict.
Project Goals
Activities
• Learn about the different program Ahimsa is
currently engaged in and the methods it uses in
promoting organizational goals
• Introduce dialogue to Ahimsa staff
• Explore the possibility of incorporating the
dialogue techniques into the various ongoing
activities and programs of Ahimsa and Sri
Lankan society as a whole
• Understand the successes and struggles of Sri
Lankan non-governmental organizations
working in the coexistence field
• Led a series of dialogue trainings for Ahimsa
staff
• Facilitated a three day dialogue workshop for
Tamil, Sinhalese, and Muslim social workers,
teachers, and policemen from the Eastern
district
• Led activities on promoting non-violent
education with Sinhalese children from shanty
areas in Colombo
• Helped to develop project proposals that
incorporated dialogue exchange for Ahimsa’s
ongoing “Peace Education in High School”
program
• Begun developing a dialogue manual as a
link between Israeli organization “ReutSadaka” and Ahimsa
• Met and interviewed female peace activists
across Sri Lanka
• Participated in applied theater training with
Ahimsa staff
Personal Goals
• Develop personal relationships with Ahimsa
staff
• Learn about the different aspects of Sri Lankan
culture in terms of its uniqueness, gender
dynamics, role of religion, different local
traditions, and the place and roles of each of the
different ethnic groups within the society and the
conflict at large
• Understand the meanings of the ongoing
conflict and the peace process on the grassroots
level and the way it is perceived by individuals in
the society
• Explore the possibility of establishing a
relationship between Ahimsa and Reut-Sadaka
—an Arab-Jewish youth movement for
coexistence in Israel.
• Feel that I made a contribution to the
organization
Sri Lanka
Between Hope and Struggle:
Dialogue in Sri Lanka and Israel
Key Dilemmas
• How can the existing dialogue framework
developed in other parts of the world be applied
as an effective coexistence tool in Sri Lanka?
• Can the obstacle of the lack of common
language be dealt with in the dialogue setting
effectively?
• In what ways can the work that I started
continue into the future?
• What impact will the unfolding political
realities have on the grassroots coexistence work
such as that of Ahimsa?
23
Marina Pevzner
Important Learnings
• English is a language of the more privileged
part of Sri Lankan society. Thus to be able to
implement long-term coexistence work
knowledge of local languages is essential.
• Understanding the cultural and social norms
and being able to integrate into them while
being flexible about your own goals is the basis
for the ability to implement programs
productively and for establishing personal
relationships.
• Theater has an important place in the local
culture and can serve as a great coexistence tool
for dialogue, especially given the language
barriers.
• The ongoing diplomatic process does not
translate fully into the daily lives of people—it
becomes a major obstacle when planning and
implementing programs aimed toward conflict
transformation.
• There are many similarities between the Sri
Lankan and Israeli political realities. People
in Sri Lanka are very intrigued by the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and are interested to
learn about it and the various coexistence
efforts taking place in Israel.
2
1
1. I facilitated activities in the
Botanic Gardens on the way to
Kandy on the day of the Full
Moon celebrations. 2. The
people I worked with had never
met Jews before. So after two
weeks we cooked shabbat dinner
and lit candles together. 3. I am
leading a dialogue training for
Ahimsa staff. 4. Here I am
working in the office. 5. After
leading workshop on nonviolence, I spent time with
5
children from Colombo.
24
3
4
From Marina’s Journal
I am in
C
Battico olombo two d
loa wa
ays ear
sc
li
still tak
ing pla ancelled beca er than plann
ce. The
e
u
Battico
LTTE c se of violent d. My trip to
lo
inciden
alled fo
the stri a on the day
ts,
ra
be
ke
s u r r o u n , v e h i c l e s c a n f o r e w e h a d p g e n e r a l s t r i k wh i c h a r e
e(
no
la
d
a v e h i c i n g a r e a . T h e t e n t e r o r l e a n n e d t o a r r i Ha r t a l ) i n
v
le that
v
e. D
s
e
t
r
either B
ike is
a
army s
atticolo uring
urroun llegedly carri in response t
a or
ed
de
o an ar
Interes
my a r r t h e
tingly, d the area bu eight armed
esti
th
LT
t
covera
ge on t e Sri Lankan is unable to r TE women. T ng
he
esp
m
he
govern
ment d incident. I’v edia has prov ond.
e been
oesn’t a
i
d
ed alm
to
llow in
ost no
format ld that durin
I am ve
g a cris
ion to b
ry conc
is the
e repor
er
negativ
ted.
e press ned that this
ure on
inciden
alread
the
yn
t wi l l p
ut addi
was su ot in great co ongoing pea
tio
pp
ce
n
will no osed to cond dition. I am a process, w hi nal
u
c
t have
time to ct several int lso disappoin h is
erview
do so b
t
e
d beca
s
efore I
Aside f
leave S in Batticoloa use I
rom my
ri Lank
and
e
excitin
a.
g and f arly return, t
he trip
ruitful.
several
to T
On
c
r e f u g e e h e c k p o i n t s , s o t h e wa y t o T r i n c o m a l e e w
rincom
me of t
c
as both
al
h
Refuge amps run by
es. Sinc
the Un e war-affecte ee we passed
ited Na
d
eI
devasta
tions H villages, and
ting im have not bee
i
gh Com
two
n direc
pact of
seeing
mis
tly
th
th
throug ese sights wa e conflict dur exposed to th sioner for
ht
sb
in
e
country he checkpoin oth interestin g my stay in
ts brou
S
g
, Israel
r
i Lank
a
nd ed
gh
.
lines a
nd livi I w as remind t back memo ucational. P a,
a
ng w
ries of
ed
Lankan
my ow ssing
friends ith the fear o of the stories
n
of
.
f attack
s; stori the long wai
es shar
t
We had
ed by m ing
an amu
y
To the
sing in
Sri
gu
ci
with th ard’s surpris dent at a Sri
e,
re
La
hours s e Sri Lankans he discovered nkan army c
ince th
hec
.
aw
Me, the
er
was no
white g hite girl driv kpoint.
t carry ide was very
irl, had
in
ing an
license
driven g a van
interna long and the
our dri
f
or few
driv
tion
ver had
end it w
to answ al license an er was tired.
as fine
d
I
is an e
x p e r i e n a n d h e l e t u s e r f e w q u e s t i o wi t h m y A m
e
p
n
ce that
r
a
I will n ss through. D s. However, i ican
n
ever fo
r
i
the
v
i
n
g in Sr
rget.
i Lanka
25
2003 Ethics and Coexistence Student Fellows
Paul Adler ’04, from Chapel Hill, North Carolina,
is a political science major. Paul is a Core
Committee member of the Oxfam Collegiate Click
Drive and serves as a leader for the Oxfam America
CHANGE Initiative, a program for college students
interested in hunger, poverty, and globalization. He
also serves on the Core Committees of Students for
Peace in Israel and Palestine and Students for Just
Society (SJS), for which he runs the Brandeis
Circle, a speaker’s forum on issues of social change
and globalization.
Matthew Harris ’04, is from New City, New York,
where he volunteers as an EMT for the New City
Volunteer Ambulance Corps/Rescue Squad. He is
pursuing a major in economics, a minor in
international business, and is in the Peace and
Conflict Studies Program. In addition to working as
a teaching assistant in sociology, Matthew is a
medical supervisor with the Brandeis Emergency
Medical Corps and is regional coordinator for the
National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services
Foundation.
Ayham Bahnassi ’05, a political science and
Near Eastern and Judaic Studies major, is from
Boylston, Massachusetts. An active member of the
campus community, he is cofounder and club
coordinator of the Arab Culture Club and is a
member of the University’s Arab-Jewish Dialogue
Group. As a high school student, Ayham was very
involved with the Model United Nations, through
which he participated in forums that shaped his
interest in coexistence and dialogue groups.
Deirdre Mooney ’05, is pursuing a double major
in politics and International & Global Studies, and
has been accepted into Mount Sinai School of
Medicine. She is from East Northport, NY and spent
the summer of 2002 in a human rights internship
in Costa Rica through the Institute for Central
American Development Studies. Deirdre is active at
Brandeis as co-chair of campus registration for the
Oxfam Collegiate Click Drive campaign and a
member of Students for a Just Society, the Mountain
Club, the Ballroom Dance Team, the Ski Team, and
the Paintball Club.
Xiomara Gonzalez ’05, from Bronx, New York
came to Brandeis as a Posse Scholar. She is still
involved in her home community, serving as a
research assistant at Columbia University Teachers’
College with their Early Head Start Program since
1999. She also spent a summer working as a
healthcare assistant with La Clínica Del Boson, a
clinic in Argentina. Xiomara is the recipient of
several awards including the Hewlett Pluralism
Alliance Grant, for which she worked with
Brandeis’s theater department writing 415 South
Street, a play that explored issues of race, religion,
and gender at Brandeis. She is also co-president of
AHORA, the latino student organization, and
working is with the Brandeis Labor Coalition on
the Justice for Janitors movement.
26
Marina Pevzner ’04 came to Brandeis from
Rehovot, Israel as a Slifka Scholar. While in Israel
she facilitated Arab-Jewish coexistence and dialogue
groups. She is pursing a double major in political
science and sociology and is in the International
Business and Peace and Conflict Studies Programs.
Marina is very active in campus coexistence efforts,
serving as coordinator of the Arab-Jewish Dialogue
Group, and cofounder of the Indian-Pakistani
Dialogue group. She is the recipient of several
honors including the Karpf Peace Prize 2002, the
Undergraduate Research Program Award 2002, and
the National Jewish Women’s Committee
Recognition 2002.
Summer Internship in Context
he summer internship is only one component of the three-part Ethics and Coexistence Student
Fellowship. One of the unique features of the Fellowship is the intensive preparation beforehand
and substantive processing after the internship. In fact, the Fellowship is not only a summer
experience, but a year-long commitment.
T
In the spring, the Student Fellows take the course “Introduction to Coexistence,” a rigorous course
taught by Professor Cynthia Cohen, director of coexistence research and international collaborations
for the Slifka Program in Intercommunal Coexistence, a part of the Ethics Center. This spring course
explores the concepts, practices and dilemmas that are at the core of the emerging field of
intercommunal coexistence. Together, students learn about methods of intercommunal work, partly
through hands-on activities: encounter, dialogue, activism, and the arts. This academic and practical
preparation gives the students the tools to become involved in their summer internship much more as
coexistence workers rather than curious tourists.
In addition to the course, Student Fellows gathered this spring for the first time at a day-long retreat in
preparation for the summer. Held at the Peace Abbey in Sherborn, Massachusetts, students took
advantage of the time away from campus in this serene yet energizing setting to share their hopes for
the summer experience, air some of their fears and concerns, and receive nuts-and-bolts instruction
about international travel, culture shock, and fieldwork methods.
After their summer internship, students take a fall course, “Internship and Analysis,” taught in 2003 by
Professor James Mandrell of the Romance and Comparative Literature department. This course gives
students the rich opportunity to process their summer experiences with a professor and each other.
Students often find parallels between their experiences in widely disparate regions and cultures.
Through readings, group discussion, and a presentation to the Brandeis community, Student Fellows
are challenged to integrate their spring academic learning with their summer practical experience.
That is, how were the coexistence theories that you learned in the spring either borne out or
contradicted by your summer experiences? Interestingly, this fall course is often cited as one of the most
valuable aspects of the three-part Fellowship. Students who undertake other life-changing summer
experiences often bemoan the lack of a context to process their experiences both emotionally and
intellectually.
It’s a rare student that is able to contribute to the work of intercommunal coexistence on this level as
an undergraduate. Brandeis Ethics and Coexistence Student Fellows are doing just that.
27
The International Center for Ethics,
Justice and Public Life
Brandeis University
MS 086 PO Box 549110
Waltham, MA 02454-9110
Phone 781-736-8577
Fax 781-736-8561
ethics@brandeis.edu
www.brandeis.edu/ethics
28